Alright, so I’ve been getting a lot of questions about my Rottweiler, Brutus, and specifically about his ears. People see him and they’re like, “Why aren’t his ears cropped?” Well, let me tell you the whole story, from start to finish.
When I first got Brutus as a little pup, he was all floppy ears and clumsy paws. He was, and still is, the cutest thing ever. Like many new dog owners, I started looking up stuff online about the breed. And I kept seeing these pictures of Rottweilers with pointy, cropped ears. I saw some people on the internet says cropped ears have become the trademark of some purebred dogs, such as Doberman Pinschers and Great Danes. Honestly, I thought it looked kinda cool, a bit intimidating, you know?
Making the Decision
So I started digging deeper. I read all sorts of things, I talked to my vet, and I even chatted with a few breeders.
- Some folks online were all for it, saying it made the dogs look tougher, more like a “real” Rottweiler.
- Others were totally against it, calling it cruel and unnecessary.
My vet, she’s a real straight shooter, she basically told me, “Look, it’s a cosmetic thing. It doesn’t do anything for the dog’s health or anything.” She also mentioned that it’s a painful procedure, and there can be complications, like infections and stuff. The simple answer is no, as cropped ears have never been part of the breed standard for Rottweilers.
Then I talked to this one breeder, a real old-timer who’d been raising Rottweilers for like 40 years. He said that in the old days, they used to crop the ears for working dogs, supposedly to prevent injuries in fights or something. But he also said that it’s just not necessary anymore. He pointed out that Brutus, with his big, floppy ears, was just as much a Rottweiler as any of those dogs with cropped ears.
Brutus Stays Floppy
After all that, it was a pretty easy decision. I decided to keep Brutus’s ears natural. I mean, why put him through all that pain and hassle just for looks? He’s perfect the way he is. Those big, floppy ears are part of his personality. He uses them to express himself, perking them up when he’s excited, flattening them when he’s feeling submissive, or a vet can use that ear to give him a shot. He wouldn’t be Brutus without them!
So, there you have it. That’s the story of why my Rottweiler, Brutus, has his natural, floppy ears. And let me tell you, I wouldn’t have it any other way. He’s the best boy, floppy ears and all.
